Grain separator



R. L. OWENS.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

l APPLICATION FILED 050.12, I917 REIIEWED APR. EZQQQ@ Patented .my 11, 19,22.

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GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I2, 1917. REIIEWED APR. {7,1922.

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R. L. OWENS.

GRAIN sEPARAToR.

APPLICATION FILED DECJZ. 1917. RENEWED APR. 17,1922.

13422y299 Patend July 11, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTO /VEY4 R. L. OWENS.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I2, I9I7. 422,299..

REIIEWED APR. 17,1922. y

Patented July V1l, 1922.

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RICHARD L. OWENS, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11. 1922.

Application filed December 12, 1917, Serial No. 206,783. Renewed April 17, 1922. Serial No. 553,915.

To all tf1/0m it may concern.' f

Be it known that I, RICHARD L. OwENs, a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain Separatore, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of the grain separating machine shown and described in my application Serial No. 93,381, .tiled April 25, 1916, I have found that when the grain is delivered in a sheet upon the sieves of the upper gang that the wheat kernels, particularly those of full size and weight, will work at once to the bottom of the sheet and pass through the meshes of the sieves in the upper portion of the gang and be directed by suitable means upon the sieves of the lower gang before reaching the discharge spout in the lower portion of the machine. This passing of all clean, perfectly formed wheat kernels through both gangsevidently is unnecessary. of the machine but causes an unnecessary7 handling of a considerable portion of the grain. r

The primary object, therefore, of my invention is to provide means in connection with the upper gang of sieves for removing` or separating from the stream of grain the clean wheat which has fallen through the upper portion of the screens in the upper gang and directing this clean wheat out of the machine at the point where it falls through the screens.

A further object is to provide improved vmeans for directing the material falling through the lower portions of the sieves of the upper gang to the upper sieves of the lower gang or the lower sieves of the saine gang. Y

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, allv as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying` drawings forming part of this speciication,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a grain cleaning machine embodyingmy invention,

Figure 2 is avertical sectional view of the sanlc on the line 2--2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view, showing a single gang of sieves with the grain It not only reduces the capacityv receiving and delivering spout beneath the upper portion of the gang.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the bottom sieves and the spouts connected therewith.

Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

'In the drawing, 2 represents the frame of the machine, which may be of any suitable size and is provided with the usual blast fan .3 within a casing 4. 5 and 6 represent upper and lower shoes, in which the various sieves are mounted. The machine is provided witha hopper 7 into which the grain to be cleaned is delivered. From the hopper the grain passes through a discharge opening 8 having a shut-off valve 9 provided with an operating rod 10 and below the opening 8 is a chamber 11 in which a feed roll 12 is arranged. A gate 13 is pivoted at 14 and slidably connected at 15 with an operating lever 16 which is pivoted at 17 and has an adjusting means at 18 for setting the gate 13 in the desired position with respect to the opening 8. This gate is free to rock but is counter-weighted to normally overcome the pressure of the material. In case, however, any foreign article of comparatively large size shouldbe mixed with the grain it will raise the gate and not clog the passage. There are preferably a series of these gates across the mouth of the hopper. The chamber 11 is connected through a throat or passage 19 with a fan 2O within a casing 21 and a valve 22 is provided in the chamber 11 for regulating the width of the passage between the feed roll 12 and the wall of the chamber. A slide 23 is preferably provided above the fan casing 21 operable by a rod 24 and in the bottom of the passage 19 a screw conveyer 25 is preferably mounted.

Beneath the chamber 11 is a sieve 2G whereon the material from .the hopper is delivered, the light refuse or tailings passing down over the sieve to a spout 27 while the grain is delivered upon the sieves of the gang beneath, the delivery being regulated by the gates 13. By the mechanism described provision is made for controlling the strength of the air current through the feed chamber' according to the condition or the character of the grain to be cleaned.

The shoes are supported upon suitable hangers and capable 0f either sidewise or endwise shaking or oscillating movement and means may also be provided for producing a balanced lateral or longitudinal movement of both shoes. This, however, may be of any suitable or *pretferred construction and is common to machines of this type. I have not thought necessary, therefore, to illustrate such means in this application.

-he upper end of the `slape 5 iis preferably arrange directly below the outlet opening of the feed chamber 11 and -as heretofore mentioned, the scalping Vsieve 26 intercepts and carries away the straw and othercoarse `grain and cause it to flow evenly in -a A.thin

sheet onto the deck 29 of the upper sieve. The upper shoe is provided with a series of sieves 30 arranged to overlap eachother and each is so located as to carry 'forward the grain received from the sieve nealt above in the gang.

Under the lower sieve of this gang I provide a transverse spout 31. This spout is designed to receive the clean wheat which `has fallen upon the upper portion of each sieve and has passed through the .meshes thereof and conduct such clean wheat `out of the machine. The separation-takes place in this way. lVe will suppose a sheet'of grain lis delivered to the siees of 'the lupper lgang and the wheat kernels,uheing heavier than the oats andthe weed `seeds and other light refuse material, will naturally work to the bottom of the sheet, v.which may ybe several inches in depth. lt is evident'thut the kernels at the bottom of the sheet will pass through the upper portion `of the meshes of each sieve and fall -from one sieve to another until the vbottom of the gang is reached. If provision is made for removing this mass of clean wheat falling through 'the upper portion of the `upper gang, the

separation will be effected much quicker and the capacity of the machine'will be greatly increased.

At the lower'end ofthe lower sieve of the upper gang l provide a spout 32 through whiclithe grain is deliveredupon the upper sieve 33 ofthe lower gang. lBetween the spouts 31 and 32 I arrange -a gate 34 vby means of which the'grainpassing through the lower portion ofthe `sieves of the upper gang may be directed upon a deck 35 'of the second sieve 36 of the lower gang or the first sieve 38 of the lower Vsection of the gang. This gate is preferably formed, as shown, of a piece of sheet metal folded upon itself and secured to a rod or shaft mounted in the machine frame adjacent the deck 35, the upper edge of the gate extending preferably to a point near the lower sieve of the upper gang and said lgate being free to oscillate beneath said `gang between the spouts 3l and 32. When the ate is swung to a point near the spout 31, t material falling through the lower portion of the sieves of the upper gang will be vdirected upon the second sieve of the lower gang Aand if the gate is swung to a apoint adjacent the spout '32 the material falling through the lower portion of the sieves of the upper gang will be directed yupon the upper sieve 38 of Athe lower section of :the lower gang.

I have yhere shown six sieves in the lower gang, but a greater or less vnumber ymay be provided, if preferred. Beneath the sieve 38 are sievesf39'througl'1 which the .grain .falls The material that passes over the sieves of the upper gang will be delivered through the yspout 32 upon the upper sieve of the lower gang while vthe material that falls through the lower portions lof the sieves of the upper gang may be directed upon the deck of the second sieve of the lower gang or, upon the deck of 'the upper sieve of the lower .group in the lower gang. Any material ing over the sieves-df the lower gang wi 1 drop into the spout 40:and be taken out of the machine. The decks of the sieves of the'lower gang are so arranged that the material falling through the upper portion of the sieves will drop upon fthe deck of the sieve beneath, and the deck-of the sieve 39 is in position to receive thegrain from the upper portion of the sieve 38 delivered thereto 'by Vthe deck 37. Beneath the lower sieve 39 Lare-decks 41 from which the material may be delivered to a repeat elevator spout 42 or may be directed .by a slide 43 operated Athrough a rack and pinion 44 on to-a sieve 45 above which is `a sieve 46 in position to receive the -m.a.terial falling through the upper portions of the sieves 39 of the lower gang. The 'tailings vof ythe sieves 45 and -46 pass to aspout 4T while the material passingthrough the sieve 46 falls upon a plate 48 and isdirected by a transverse cleat 49 to suitableducts 49 (see Figures 4 and 5) through whirh-itfalls into the transverse spout 51. Aiplaue 50 beneath thesieve 45 leads toa spout 51.

The screenings from both separations made-by the screens 46 and 45 are received and'mixedinio spout 51. while tliefclean products of both separatinnsimailebysaid screens are reooivadandmixed inithe tra-ns verse spout 47.

The repeat elevator 52 receives thegrain from the spout 42 and elevates it to a spout llt) 53 for delivery to spouts 54 and 55, the latter overhanging the upper gang of sieves in position to deliver the repeat material thereon, from whence it is conducted down through or over the sieves of the upper and lower gang forv a second separationf An inclined deck 55 may be arranged below the spout 55 to insure the delivery of ma terial from said spout to said upper of sieves.

The deck 37 at the upper end ot the sieve 38 extends preferably on a line substantially parallel to the sieves of the lower gang, and is provided at its upper end with a substantially upright wall or extension 37', which projects upwardly as shown, preterably near the spout 81. The angle formed between the meeting edges of the deck 37 and the wall 37 is preferably nearly opposite, but a little above, the shaft of the Ylan 3. The deck 37 and the wall 37 divide the air currents produced by the fan and direct a portion o't' said vcurrents upward along the wall 37 and through and over the lower sieve otf the upper gang, while a portion of said currents are directed beneath the deck 37, and through and under the sieves o'f the lower gang.

The spout of the upper gang may, it preferred, be omitted in which case all ot the material passing through the lower sieve ot the upper gang will be directed to the sieve of the lower gang, being divided between sieves 33, 36 and 38, as may be preferred.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a modiiied construction which consists in providing a single gang of sieves 5G beneath the upper portion of which is a spout 57 Ytor receiving the kernels of grain which drop through the upper portion of the sieves ot this gang and conduct this grain to the outside ol the machine, while the material that passes through the lower portion of the gang may be delivered to the repeat elevator in the manner described with reference to Fig ure 1.

In the operation of the machine, the grain is fed out of the hopper upon the s/-alping` sieve beneath, the straw and coarse material removed thereby and the partially cleaned grain allowed to 'tall through this scalping` sieve upon the sieves'of the upper gang. The heavier kernels, such as wheat, working` to the bottom of the sieve, will fall through the upper portions ofthe sieves oI the upper gang and dropping into the .spout beneath the gang. will be taken out of the machine and further travel of this grain overthe sieves will be eliminated. The cleaning ot the grain will thereby be hastened and the capacity of the machine considerably increased. The lremainder ot the material will pass down from the sieves ot one gang to those oit another, being guided by the ad,-A

justment oi the gate 34, the tailings oit the lower gang passing to the spout 40 and the repeat elevator receiving and returning to the upper gang a considerable portion o't the material which has fallen through the sieves of the lower gang. The linal separation is made in the sieves or screens mounted in the lower portion of the machine and from which the grain is spouted in a. thoroughly separated or cleaned condition.

1 claim as my invention:

l. In a grain cleaning machine, in combination with the grain delivering hopper, a gang of sieves, means for delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the gang, said sieves being adapted for the passage therethrough and thereover of grain, and having meshes permitting the passage o't' comparatively clean grain through the upper portion oi each sieve of the gang, and means mounted beneath the upper portion of the lower sieve of' the gang for receiving such comparatively clean grain and conducting it directly out of the machine.

2. In a grain cleaning machine, in combination with a grain delivering hopper, an upper and lower gang of sieves, means for delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the upper gang, T'said sieves being adapted for the passage therethrough and thereover of grain, and having meshes permitting the passage of comparatively clean grain through the upper portion of each sieve of the gang to those of the lower gang, and means for receiving the clean grain falling through the upper portion of the sieves of the upper gang and separating it from the material passing over said upper portions and conductingit directly out ot the machine.

3. In a grain cleaning machine, in combination with a grain delivering hopper, an upper and lower gang of sieves, means for delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the upper gang, said sieves being adapted for the passage therethrough and thereover of gra-in, and having meshes permitting the passage of comparatively clean grain' through the upper portion of each sieve of the gang to those of the lower gang, and a spout disposed beneath and adjacent the upper end of the lower sieve ott the upper gang for receiving the clean grain falling through the upper portion ot the sieves ot the upper gang and separating it 'from the material passing over said upper portions and conducting it directly out of the machine.

4. In a grain cleaning machine, a hopper, primary and secondary gangs of sieves whereto the material is delivered by said hopper, and a gate interposed between said gangs ttor-.selectively directing the material falling through the sieves of the upper gang upon the upper sieves of the lower gang or the lower sieves of said lower gang.

5. In a grain cleaning maehine, a hopper, primary and secondary gangs of seves whereto the material is delivered by said hopper, and means interposed between said gangs for selectively directin the material Vfallin-g through the sieves of t e upper gang upon the upper sieves of the lower gang or the lower sieves of said lower` gang.

6. In a grain cleaning machine, a. hopper, primary and secondary gangs of sieves whereto the material is delivered by said hopper, and means whereby the material 'failing through the lower portions of the sieves of said upper gang is selectively: drected upon the upper sieves of the; lower gang or the lower sieves oft the lower gang. Y 7. In a grain cleaning machine, a hopper and an upper gang ot sieves, a lower gang or sieves, means for directing the material passing from the sieves of the upper gang upon the sieves of the lower gang, and means for selectively directing the material passing through the sieves of the upper gang upon the upper sieves of the lower gang or the lower sieves ot the lower gang.

8. In. a. grain cleaning machine, the combination, with, a hopper, 03E upper and lower gangs ofsievee, means or-selhctivelayv directing materiali passing over the sieves o the upper gang. upon thev first sieve ofy the lower gang, or tor directingl the material passing through the sienes of the upper gang upon the second sieve of the lower gang..

9. In a grain cleaning machine, the comhina/tion, with. a hopper, ofV upper and lower gangs oli sie-ves, means fon 'selectively directing thematerial passingover the sizeves ofi the upper gang upon the 4first sieve of the lower gang, or for directing'the: material passing through. thesicvesfof the uppen gang upon the. lower sieves of the lowen gang.

V10. In a grain cleaningmachine, the combination, with ahopper, of upper and lower gangs ot sieves, means for directing the maneral` passing over the sievns ofl the upper gang upon the first sievefof thelower gang, and a gane interposed between said gangs and positionediuo selectively direct the mate rial falling throughtheilower portion ofthe sieves of the upper gang upon the upper sieves ofthe lower gang orI upon the lower sieves osaid gang. y

11. Inan grain cleaning machine, the combination, with a hopper, of upper and lower gangs otr' sieves, a spout for directing the material passing-over the sieves of the upper gang upon the first sieve of thelower gang, a spout positioned beneath the upper por tionofn the lower sieve of the upper gang for receiving the material falling through the upper portionsof-the Inieves of said gang andv conductingt it outof the machineand a gate mounted, between. said spouts for selectively directing the material falling through thel'ower portions of the sieves of the upper gang upon the upper sieves of the lower gung or' the lower sieves of said gang.

12. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination, with a grain delivering hopper, ot' an. upper and lower gang of' sie-ves, means for screening the material falling through the upper portion ot the lower gang of sieves, andi means for screening the material falling through the lower portion of the sieves of gang, the screenings ot both separations mixing after such separation, and means for mixing the clean products of both separations.

13. In a grain cleaning machine, in combination with a. grain delivering hopper, a gang of sieves, means for delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the gang and passing through and over the sieves of Said gang, a quantity of comparatively clean grain passing through the upper portion of the sieves and means for separating such comparatively clean grain from the material passing through and over the lower portion of the lowermost sieve of the upper gang of sieves.

14. I-n a grain cleaning machine. the combination, wlth a gang of sieves. of means for delivering the grain to be cleaned thereto, a screen and plate mounted to receive the material passing through the upper part of the lower sieves andv a screen and plate for receiving the material from the lower portion of said sicves, a. repeatspout and au adjustable repeat board for regulating thel delivery of the screenings to said last named screen or to said spout.

15. In a grain cleaning machine, the com` bination, with a grain delivering hopper, of nu upper und a lower gang of sieves. thegraiim being delivered in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the upper gang and passing through und over the sieves of said gang to those of the lower gang, means arranged beneath said gangs to receive the material from the sievcs of said gang, and :i blast fan mounted between the upper portion of said gangs and the lower portion of. said sieves for directing the currents of air through and between the sieves of said gangs.

16. In a grain cleaning machine. in combination, with a grain delivering hopper, u gang of inclined sieves mounted to receive the material from said hopper, means for screening and separating the material falling through the lower portion of said sieves. and means for receiving the clean material falling through the upper portion of said sieves.

17. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination, with a gang of sievcs and means for delivering grain thereto` a plurality ot screens and plates therefor arranged one above the other, the upper screen receiving the material falling through the upper porsaid lower tion of the lower sieves and the plate for said screen having a spout for receiving such material, the lower screen and plate having a spout, a repeat spout adjacent said lower screen and a repeat board adj ustably mounted for directing` the material falling through the lower portion or said sieves upon said lower screen or to said repeat spout.

18. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination, with a grain delivering hopper, of an upper .uid a lowerI gang of sieves, means tor delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the upper gang and passing through and over the sieves of said gang to those o'l' the lower gang, a blast 'fan mounted adjacent said gangs, and a deck arranged' opposite said fan and having walls for directing some of the currents of air `from said fan through the material passing through and over the lower most sieve of the upper gang and directing other currents of air through and under the sievcs o'l' the lower gang.

19. In a grain cleaning machine, the com bination, with a grain delivering hopper, of an upper and lower gang of sieves, a blast fan mounted adjacent the junction of said gang ol? sieves, a deck interposed between said blast fan and the upper portion of the lower gang and having inclined 'alle to receive the material passing through the sieves of the upper gang and directing it upon a seive of the lower gang, and said deck dividing the air currents from said fan and directing them between' the sieves ot the upper and lower gangs and lthrough and beneath the sieves of the lower gang.

20. In a grain cleaning machine, the combination, with a grain delivering hopper, of upper and lower gangs of sieves, a blast fan arranged adjacent the junction of said gangs of sieves, a deck interposed between said blast fan and said gangs and operating to divide the air currents and direct them between the upper and lower gangs and through and under the sieves of thc lower gang, and a gate mounted to deflect the material passing through the lower portion of the lower sieve of the upper gang upon said deck or upon an upper sieve of the lower gang.

21. In a grain cleaning machine, a gang of sieves and means for delivering grain thereto, means for delivering the grain in a sheet upon the upper sieve of the gang and passing through and over the sieves oit said gang, a quantity of comparatively* clean grain passing through the upper portion of the sieves and means intermediate the upper and lower sieves for separating such comparatively clean grain from the material passing through the lower portions of said sieves.

22. In a grain cleaning machine, a gang of sieves, means for delivering grain thereto, a quantity of comparatively clean grain passing through the upper portions of the sieves and means beneath the upper sieves of the gang 'for separating such grain from the material passing through and over the lower portions of said sieves.

23. In a grain cleaning machine, a gang of sieves, a group of sieves of the gang being mounted with respect to the other sieves of the gang to separate the grain 'falling through the upper portion of such group of sieves from the material flowing through and over the lower portion of the sieves ol the gang.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of November 1917.

RICHARD L. OWENS. 

